Little bits of mine, whether it be crafty, frugal, cooking, garden or just life-related. There's something for everyone! Let me know you were here, and leave a little love! (Everyone needs a pat now and then...) THANK YOU for stopping by.

Bits of Food

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

With my car. SO... starting Friday, I will be hounding the brake shop and the dealership. They won't know I'm coming... watch out boys!

The kids are doing great. Water Polo is over and swim season has started; it's only practices, now. Stacy's grades have gone up (YAY!) and hopefully, she'll actually be able to participate in a sport this school year. Rey is definitely a teenager... really going full boat with the attitude, following in her sister's footsteps (I hope not). Marissa is following, too. lol! She is a card and comes up with the biggest words and even uses them correctly. I am always amazed, as are the other two, when she talks. I love them all.

It's hard to say about Juan's kids, as we rarely hear from them. Usually only when... okay I won't go there.

Juan is alright, too. He's a little po'ed about the car, as am I. We are so tired of it. But on another topic, he actually kept everything I made him for Valentine's Day. He loved the "I LOVE YOU" card and the peanut jar I made him. He thought I bought the covered jar from someone else who had made it.

The girls' shirt turned out really cute for Valentine's Day. I'll have to post pictures of all the girls in them, so you can see the shirts and see how they are growing, as well.

I am doing okay, tired a lot, but still okay. With so much to do... I don't know how these super moms do it without being tired.

If you are visiting here, looking for crafty stuff, you need to know I have moved that blog to i Created It!. I know you don't want to read about my personal life and such, but this blog has now been adapted for catching up with family, friends, and a couple of other helpful hints and rants. Just about everything. I will occasionally post things of a crafty nature, just not totally scrappy. Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you on my other blog.

Anywho... that's all I got for now. I'll post pictures by the end of the week. Today is Ash Wednesday, so I still gotta figure out what's for dinner! Toodles for now! lisa

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

with my car being fixed, that is. When I first got the car back on Monday, things were great.

Yesterday, the rubbing noise started and my keys didn't work. Guess what? They had to re-program them both this morning. The rubbing noise will be taken care of later, as I kinda need my car. Using Juan's car (Chevy's HHR) gave me claustrophobia, and I don't want to go there again. I also don't want another rental, which they won't pay for anyway.

The kids are all getting over colds, so hopefully... we can go see my friend's new baby! (Congrats, Karen, Chris & Addy!!!)

Monday, February 9, 2009

So... I had the rental, right? I needed to go to a water polo game in Riverside. No worries. I picked up my daughter at school and had to check in at the security station (you can't "just" take kids from a school). I rolled down the window... and it only rolled back up 1/2 of the way. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, however, it is rainy weather here.

So... I grabbed a piece of plastic to put on the window once I got it parked and FROZE the whole way there (1/2 hour). My kids were okay, as I put the heat on SUPER high. But... then I got caught in a hail storm, and it was bouncing into the car. I even got pics of the hail inside the van, on my window! Sucks the big one! Anyway, the plastic worked while the car was parked, and I slid into a dry driver's seat.

Then I got a call that my car was ready. Yeah! To get my own car back... (in dreamy, eyes glazing trance)... So after dropping the kids off at home (I knew it wouldn't be super easy at the dealership... I have that kind of experience...), I zoomed over. It took another 1/2 hour to process the rental back in. The sales clerk gave me a free upgrade and full tank of gas the "next time I rent a car." After all this experience, I'm not sure I'll EVER be back.

Then I had to walk outside (almost a block) in 42 degree weather (that's really cold for us!) with a wind chill factor of (put # here, as I don't know, but it was strong and super cold!) to the dealership. They only took about 10 minutes. I was rather impressed. So, the warranty insurance is now out $1400+, and I have a like-new car!

Woohoo! Boy am I spoiled and very grateful for what I have. I love having all my little perks of my van back! We love it; we LOVE it! Toodles for now! lisa

Here's my take on the Challenge over at The Cuttlebug Spot. The challenge was to use the word "Love" on a card. I used the Cuttlebug (Divine Swirls) to emboss the foil cutout.The hearts embossing folder adorns the background, as well as Sakura's Jelly Roll (glitter red) to emphasize the hearts. Then the embossed "with love" border sits underneath a Threading Water cut border.

This one is really cute (I think!). It involves a challenge over at Scrapbook BINGO to win the Christmas Noel Solutions Cartridge. This is something I really want to win, so I'm making sure I'm ahead of the game. The challenge was to make a Valentine card with hearts other than the "normal" colors of red, pink, white, etc. I chose yellow and blue (adds to the green of the card). LOL! A "duh" moment...

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Part of the reason I've been so "off" lately is my lack of time. I have been going between the brake shop and the dealership for two weeks now. One blames the other, says they can't find anything, says it's "this" when it really isn't, fixes a "problem" that isn't there, can't figure anything out, etc. So, Juan (my hubby) heated the car up (we have told both locals that it doesn't make the funky sound until it's been more than warmed up) and took the mechanic around in the car, and he finally heard the funky sound (sounds like pigeons). YAY!

So... when they checked it out... it turns out it was a total of two hubs (don't know which, only know it's a front and a back one), maybe something else. The estimate is $1300. Thank goodness we actually bought the extended warranty, so it is only costing us the $50 deductible. Whew! Juan was smart!!! However, a little while ago, both front hubs were replaced. Regardless, that isn't the least of my complaints.

They (the extended warranty insurers) are paying for 3 days of car rental. ONLY 3... no matter if the car isn't done or not. So... I went yesterday to fill out the paperwork, and since they (the car rental) is closed Sundays, arranged to pick it up today, with the understanding I would have to return it Tuesday morning or before (based on if the car is done early or not). I was told I would simply have to come and pick up the car.

WRONG!!! Juan dropped me off 1/2 hour prior to my appointment. I was first in line, went up, and ugh! They asked me for all of the information again, and then some. Then argued with me about the conditions of my rental. I won that one. However, because I don't have an actual credit card, and my card is only debit/credit, I had to physically fill out more paperwork and provide references and such. I must have been filling out a dang credit card application or bank loan docs for all of that!

OK, so... that done, I sat for 1 hour 15 minutes doing nothing but playing games on my phone. I am normally someone who would take a book or magazine or cross-stitch or just something to do to fill the time and make it just a little more productive. But, I thought I would be in and out of there.

To their credit, they were extremely busy with only 2 sales reps and no reprieve in sight. They also were supposed to close by 12, noon. I don't think they did... customers kept coming. Finally, I was taken to another lot a mile away, as they had to replace my car with the same brand (Chevy) and something comparable. So, I got another Uplander. Only... I am so spoiled. This one has none of the following: Upgraded Captains chairs for the backs, leather seating, middle console, push-button sliding doors, pockets on the back of each chair, electric adjustment of the driver's seat, dvd player, storage in the ceiling area, and... and... lol! See, I told you I was spoiled. But, whatever.

I will be making due with what I've got given to me. Hopefully, it will take less time. That's all the drama I'm disclosing to you at this time. But rest assured... there is MUCH more! Toodles for now! lisa

Here is my take on it: "I'll Hiss for a Kiss" I just popped with it when I saw the snake from Animal Kingdom. I saw so many things I had ideas for, but this one just clicked a little more. And I used scraps I already had. Woohoo! The hiss and the snake were made from Animal Kingdom; the snake's pink diamond back was embossed using the Cuttlebug Textile folder. ("HISS" is actually two sizes [1" and 1-1/4"], since there is no shadow feature on the "sounds" of the animals.) The other letters are Opposites Attract and dusted/inked with bright pink daubers from Direct Memories. Of course I had to add Stickles somewhere... so I put it on the skin of the snake (in Cinnamon), emphasizing the diamond back. And I used the "Heart" embossing folder for the background of the card, then sanded the red cardstock to bring out the white core of the cardstock and make the hearts "pop" a little more. Since it was for a child, I felt only google eyes were appropriate to add a little humor and character to my otherwise fearless friend.

Hope you like it, and check out the links above for more fun and challenges on their blog! Thanks Nilda! And thanks to everyone at Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, as well.

We were supposed to take Marissa to Disneyland today, but she got sick, so we are home, so... I decided to take a few minutes and do this (made a card)!This week's challenge was to use distressing. I chose to sand and use Tim Holtz Walnut Stain ink.

First, I sanded my cardstock. (This would allow the ink I am going to use to absorb into different areas, giving it an old feel.) Then I applied the walnut stain ink to the Cuttlebug embossing folder, on the non-raised side, and sent it through, dry-embossing it. The edges are then torn and re-inked to add the "old-paper" feel and look to it. *I was trying to find a more versatile way of using a Halloween-type folder. I *think* I succeeded, don't you?Then I added the sentiments and embellishments. The purple words "Dust Off the Cobweb" and "is here!" are embossed with Ranger's Puffy in purple, and "Spring!!!" is embossed in hot pink glaze. I left a flower floating on the web for effect.

Hope you like it. You can see more takes on the challenge and check out a challenge of your own on the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog. Good luck! Toodles for now! lisa

Danielle is an awesome paper crafter (scrapper and everything inclusive). She is... (get ready for the drum roll...) giving away a CRICUT EXPRESSSION!!!!! Can you believe it? But, there is a catch! She wants to get to 600 comments. (We are below 200 on 02/03/09.) So... let's help her (and us!). Please go to her blog and leave a comment. AND do me a favor (por favor!)... I have another friend who is trying to win the other prize, so... please let Danielle know (in the same comment) that "Captain Scrappy" (my friend, Jenn!) sent you.

Good luck to you all! Go back everyday!!! The more comments, the closer one of us gets to getting the Big Bug! Woohoo! Toodles for now! lisa

First of all, her work is excellent. Secondly, her self-portrait is pretty hot (so all you fellas out there need to take a look, too!). She had her 6-month blogaversary, has had over 3,000 hits (much more than mine! lol!), and has hit the over 200 comment mark (again... much more than mine! lol!). What does she do to be so great? Whelp folks, go on over there and check it out. You will find a great card maker, scrapper, crafter, and friend (also a member of Scrapbook BINGO!).

Leave a comment for her and you will be entered into a drawing for a wonderful package (includes glitter stacks, ribbon, stamps, etc.)! But you gotta go see to enter... So... just click the link next to her name, and you will be taken there. Toodles for now! lisa

What I'm Recording:

The seasons all run into one another any more (so I've listed all of them but may have forgotten a few), but I still love me some TeeVee! And with the price of gas... we're really staying home! This is what recording on my DVR...(note: not in any particular order... it's eclectic/hodge podge. just like me!)

There are other "educational things" I watch, as well, but I DVR those as they are showing... Not to mention kiddie shows...

Too many to watch, and too many to catch up on!!! Some are still coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Did I tell you I'm an addict? To keep up with TV scoop, I follow @MichaelAusiello on Twitter... and I "like" him on Facebook, too!)

Food Corner

Cut down on SALT! My hubs was recently diagnosed with extremely high blood pressure, so we've gone cold turkey down on salt.

I just bought some great ZERO sodium seasoning mixes:

Weber Salt Free Steak Seasoning - $4.96 (Sam's Club) Really great flavor. Lots of garlic with tones of citrus. Had it on Pork Chops, too. Oh yum! Don't believe you can only eat it on steak...

Johnny's Organic Seasoned Pepper - $2.95 (Sprouts) OMG! Where have you been all my life?!? No citrus, so I've been using it in everything I don't want citrus in... spaghetti sauce, chicken and dumplings (yes... I made extremely low sodium chicken and dumplings!), anything... ANYTHING!

Trader Joe's Spices of the World 21 Seasoning Salute - $3.25 (Trader Joes's) Pretty good. Lots of citrus. Has other veggie flavors the other two don't have.